WSO-UV—ultraviolet mission for the next decade

The World Space Observatory UltraViolet (WSO–UV) is an international space mission devoted to UV spectroscopy and imaging. The observatory includes a 170 cm aperture telescope capable of high-resolution and long slit low-resolution spectroscopy, and deep UV and optical imaging. The observatory is designed for observations in the ultraviolet domain where most of astrophysical processes can be efficiently studied with unprecedented capability.     

Unravelling the multi-stage burial history of the Swiss Molasse Basin: integration of apatite fission track, vitrinite reflectance and biomarker isomerisation analysis

A complex basin evolution was studied using various methods, including thermal constraints based on apatite fission‐track (AFT) analysis, vitrinite reflectance (VR) and biomarker isomerisation, in addition to a detailed analysis of the regional stratigraphic record and of the lithological properties. The study indicates that (1) given the substantial amount of data, the distinction and characterisation of successive stages of heating and burial in the same area are feasible, and (2) the three thermal indicators (AFT, VR and biomarkers) yield internally consistent thermal histories, which supports the validity of the underlying kinetic algorithms and their applicability to natural basins. All data pertaining to burial and thermal evolution were integrated in a basin model, which provides constraints on the thickness of eroded sections and on heat flow over geologic time. Three stages of basin evolution occurred in northern Switzerland. The Permo‐Carboniferous strike–slip basin was characterised by high geothermal gradients (80–100°C km^?1) and maximum temperature up to 160°C. After the erosion of a few hundreds of metres in the Permian, the post‐orogenic, epicontinental Mesozoic basin developed in Central Europe, with subsidence triggered by several stages of rifting. Geothermal gradients in northern Switzerland during Cretaceous burial were relatively high (35–40°C km^?1), and maximum temperature typically reached 75°C (top middle Jurassic) to 100°C (base Mesozoic). At least in the early Cretaceous, a stage of increased heat flow is needed to explain the observed maturity level. After erosion of 600–700 m of Cretaceous and late Jurassic strata during the Paleocene, the wedge‐shaped Molasse Foreland Basin developed. Geothermal gradients were low at this time (≤20°C km^?1). Maximum temperature of Miocene burial exceeded that of Cretaceous burial in proximal parts (<35 km from the Alpine front), but was lower in more distal parts (>45 km). Thus, maximum temperature as well as maximum burial depth ever reached in Mesozoic strata occurred at different times in different regions. Since the Miocene, 750–1050 m were eroded, a process that still continues in the proximal parts of the basin. Current average geothermal gradients in the uppermost 2500 m are elevated (32–47°C km^?1). They are due to a Quaternary increase of heat flow, most probably triggered by limited advective heat transport along Paleozoic faults in the crystalline basement.     

Life Histories, Salinity Zones, and Sublethal Contributions of Contaminants to Pelagic Fish Declines Illustrated with a Case Study of San Francisco Estuary, California, USA

Human effects on estuaries are often associated with major decreases in abundance of aquatic species. However, remediation priorities are difficult to identify when declines result from multiple stressors with interacting sublethal effects. The San Francisco Estuary offers a useful case study of the potential role of contaminants in declines of organisms because the waters of its delta chronically violate legal water quality standards; however, direct effects of contaminants on fish species are rarely observed. Lack of direct lethality in the field has prevented consensus that contaminants may be one of the major drivers of coincident but unexplained declines of fishes with differing life histories and habitats (anadromous, brackish, and freshwater). Our review of available evidence indicates that examining the effects of contaminants and other stressors on specific life stages in different seasons and salinity zones of the estuary is critical to identifying how several interacting stressors could contribute to a general syndrome of declines. Moreover, warming water temperatures of the magnitude projected by climate models increase metabolic rates of ectotherms, and can hasten elimination of some contaminants. However, for other pollutants, concurrent increases in respiratory rate or food intake result in higher doses per unit time without changes in the contaminant concentrations in the water. Food limitation and energetic costs of osmoregulating under altered salinities further limit the amount of energy available to fish; this energy must be redirected from growth and reproduction toward pollutant avoidance, enzymatic detoxification, or elimination. Because all of these processes require energy, bioenergetics methods are promising for evaluating effects of sublethal contaminants in the presence of other stressors, and for informing remediation. Predictive models that evaluate the direct and indirect effects of contaminants will be possible when data become available on energetic costs of exposure to contaminants given simultaneous exposure to non-contaminant stressors.     

Potential for deep geological sequestration of CO2 in Switzerland: a first appraisal

Possibilities to sequester anthropogenic CO₂ in deep geological formations are being investigated worldwide, but the potential within Switzerland has not yet been evaluated. This study presents a first-order appraisal based solely on geological criteria collated from the literature. The Swiss Molasse Basin (SMB) and the adjacent Folded Jura are the only realms of the country where CO₂ could conceivably be stored in saline aquifers. Evaluation of geological criteria at the basin-wide scale shows that the SMB–Jura has moderate potential (score of 0.6 on a scale from 0 to 1) when compared to basins elsewhere. At the intrabasinal scale, inspection of the stratigraphy reveals four regional candidate aquifers that are sealed by suitable caprocks: top Basement plus basal Mesozoic sandstones, all sealed by the Anhydrite Group; Upper Muschelkalk sealed by the Gipskeuper; Hauptrogenstein sealed by the Effinger Member, and Upper Malm plus Lower Cretaceous sealed by the Lower Freshwater Molasse. Nine geological criteria are defined to evaluate the storage potential of these and other smaller scale candidates. A numerical scoring and weighting scheme allows the criteria to be assessed simultaneously, permitting the storage potential to be depicted using the 0–1 scale in contoured maps. Approximately 5,000 km² of the central SMB exhibits potentials between 0.6 and 0.96. The Fribourg–Olten–Luzern area is the most favoured owing to the presence of several sealed aquifers within the preferred 800–2,500 m depth interval, and to its low seismicity, low geothermal gradient, low fault density, and long groundwater residence times. Smaller areas with good potential lie between Zürich and St. Gallen. In contrast, western Switzerland, the Jura and the southern SMB have markedly poorer potential. Considering only the portions of the aquifers with potential above 0.6, the theoretical, effective storage capacity of the basin is estimated to be 2,680 million tonnes of CO₂.     

Global warming and South Indian monsoon rainfall—lessons from the Mid-Miocene

Precipitation over India is driven by the Indian monsoon. Although changes in this atmospheric circulation are caused by the differential seasonal diabatic heating of Asia and the Indo-Pacific Ocean, it is so far unknown how global warming influences the monsoon rainfalls regionally. Herein, we present a Miocene pollen flora as the first direct proxy for monsoon over southern India during the Middle Miocene Climate Optimum. To identify climatic key parameters, such as mean annual temperature, warmest month temperature, coldest month temperature, mean annual precipitation, mean precipitation during the driest month, mean precipitation during the wettest month and mean precipitation during the warmest month the Coexistence Approach is applied. Irrespective of a ~ 3–4 °C higher global temperature during the Middle Miocene Climate Optimum, the results indicate a modern-like monsoonal precipitation pattern contrasting marine proxies which point to a strong decline of Indian monsoon in the Himalaya at this time. Therefore, the strength of monsoon rainfall in tropical India appears neither to be related to global warming nor to be linked with the atmospheric conditions over the Tibetan Plateau. For the future it implies that increased global warming does not necessarily entail changes in the South Indian monsoon rainfall.     

Alkali-free tourmaline in the system MgO-Al2O3-B2O3-SiO2-H2O

An end member of the tourmaline series with a structural formula □(Mg₂Al)Al₆(BO₃)₃[Si₆O₁₈](OH)₄ has been synthesized in the system MgO-Al₂O₃-B₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O where it represents the only phase with a tourmaline structure. Our experiments provide no evidence for the substitutions Al → Mg + H, Mg → 2H, B + H → Si, and AlAl → MgSi and we were not able to synthesize a phase “Mg-aluminobuergerite” characterized by Mg in the (3a)-site and a strong (OH)-deficiency reported by Rosenberg and Foit (1975). The alkali-free tourmaline has a vacant (3a)-site and is related to dravite by the □ + Al for Na + Mg substitution. It is stable from at least 300°C to about 800°C at low fluid pressures and 100% excess B₂O₃, and can be synthesized up to a pressure of 20 kbars. At higher temperatures the tourmaline decomposes into grandidierite or a boron-bearing phase possibly related to mullite (“B-mullite”), quartz, and unidentified solid phases, or the tourmaline melts incongruently into corundum + liquid, depending on pressure. In the absence of excess B₂O₃ tourmaline stability is lowered by about 60°C. Tourmaline may coexist with the other MgO-Al₂O₃-B₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O phases forsterite, enstatite, chlorite, talc, quartz, grandidierite, corundum, spinel, “B-mullite,” cordierite, and sinhalite depending on the prevailing PTX-conditions.The (3a)-vacant tourmaline has the space group R3m with $\text{a =15.90}\text{A}\text{?}$, $\text{c = 7.115}\text{A}\text{?}$, and $\text{V = 1557.0}\text{A}\text{?}{}^3$. However, these values vary at room temperature with the pressure-temperature conditions of synthesis by $\text{±0.015}\text{A}\text{?}\text{in a}$, $\text{±0.010}\text{A}\text{?}\text{in c}$, and $\text{±4.0}\text{A}\text{?}{}^3\text{in V}$, probably as a result of MgAl order/disorder relations in the octahedral positions. Despite these variations intensity calculations support the assumed structural formula. Refractive indices are n_o = 1.631(2), n_E = 1.610(2), Δn = 0.021. The infrared spectrum is intermediate between those of dravite and elbaite. The common alkali and calcium deficiencies of natural tourmalines may at least partly be explained by miscibilities towards (3a)-vacant end members. The apparent absence of (3a)-vacant tourmaline in nature is probably due to the lack of fluids that carry boron but no Na or Ca.     

Untersuchungen der Tektonik der Hunsrückrandstörungszone zwischen Münster-Sarmsheim und Kirn an der Nahe

Zusammenfassung Der NW-Flügel der Nahe-Mulde wird durch die Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone geprägt. Dieses Lineament erstreckt sich vom SE-Rand des Taunus über die Nahe- und Prims-Mulde und das Saargebiet bis nach Frankreich, wo es in die Metzer Störung übergeht. Im Arbeitsgebiet reicht die Verwerfung in große Tiefen hinab und verwirft noch die Moho.Zwischen Münster-Sarmsheim und Argenschwang ist das Devon auf das Rotliegende aufgeschoben. Von Allenfeld an nach SW ändert sich der Charakter der Störungszone. Sie spaltet in zwei bzw. drei streichende Verwerfungen auf, wodurch die beschriebene Schollengliederung des Arbeitsgebietes entsteht.Die NW-Scholle lagert diskordant auf dem varistischen Gebirge mit einem Einfallen von max. 20° SE. Sie wird vom NW-Ast der Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone nach SE begrenzt. Im Abschnitt Argenschwang/Hochstetten schlieBt sich eine Grabenscholle an. In ihr lagern sowohl Gesteine des Unter- wie des Oberrotliegenden. Im Abschnitt Hochstetten/Kirn trennt der NW-Ast der Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone die NW-Scholle von der Zentralscholle, die relativ gehoben erscheint. SE der SE-Grabenrandverwerfung bzw. der Störung SE der Zentralscholle des Abschnittes Hochstetten/Kirn, folgt eine gefaltete Zone.Durch eine Störung getrennt, schlieBt sich nach SE eine Scholle an, auf der die Schichten zunächst mit 60° SE einfallen. In Richtung auf die Muldenachse der Nahe-Mulde biegen sie zu flacher Lagerung um. Der Bereich um Kirn ist durch die zahlreichen Magmatite geprägt, die in enger Verbindung zur Tektonik stehen.Eine tektonische Aktivität ist nach Ablagerung der Lebacher- bzw. der Tholeyer Gruppe möglich. Die Hauptbewegungsphase fällt in das Oberrotliegende. Es entfällt die Saalische Phase mit ihrer Diskordanz zwischen Unter- und Oberrotliegendem. Lokale Diskordanzen sind auf die Intrusionstektonik zurückzuführen. Die endgültige Ausgestaltung der Nahe-Mulde dürfte wahrend der Pfälzischen Phase der varistischen Gebirgsbildung erfolgt sein.Die Querstörungen sind jünger als alle streichenden Elemente. Teilweise haben sie tertiäres Alter. Zu dieser Zeit ist vermutlich die Aufschiebung des Devons auf das Rotliegende im Abschnitt Argenschwang/Hochstetten erfolgt. Rezente Bewegungen lassen sich bis in die heutige Zeit an Hand von Erdbeben nachweisen. Die Antwort nach der Ursache der tektonischen Bewegungen bleibt spekulativ. Bei der Größe dieses Lineaments muß man jedoch an eine Plattengrenze denken.

---

The NW-side of the Nahe-Mulde (tray) is characterized by a fault zone at the southern rim of the Hunsrück-mountains (= Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone = HRS). This lineament extends from the SE-periphery of the Taunus-mountains over the Nahe-Mulde and the Prims-Mulde and the Saar-district up to France, where it passes into the Metz-disturbance. In this range the faulting reaches great depths and also faults the Moho.The treated part of the HRS between Münster-Sarmsheim and Kirn an der Nahe shows a division into three parts from NE to SW. Between Münster-Sarmsheim and Argenschwang the Devonian is faulted up onto the Rotliegendes (Lower Permian). Between Argenschwang and Allenfeld the character of the faulting zone changes. It is divided into two resp. three fault strikes by what the described block division of this range results.In the area Argenschwang/Hochstetten and Hochstetten/Kirn the NW-block is deposited discordantly on the variscan formation with a maximum dip of 20° SE. It is limited to the SE by the NW-branch of the HRS. Adjacent to this lies a grabenblock in the area Argenschwang/Hochstetten. There we find rocks of the Lower as of the Upper-Rotliegenden. In the area Hochstetten-Kirn, the NW-branch of the HRS divides the NW-block from the central block, which seems to be relatively emerged. A folded zone follows in the SE of the SE-marginal graben rim fault resp. of the disturbance in the SE of the central block of the area Hochstetten/Kirn. This zone is closely locked to the SE-branch of the HRS and does not reach beyond it in the NW. Another block is adjecant to this in the SE and divided from it by a disturbance. Next to it the layers dip 60° SE and bend to a flat bedding near the axis of the Nahe-Mulde. The area around Kirn is characterized by numerous magmatic rocks, closely connected to the tectonic structures.Already structured in the Carboniferous, the HRS first represents the dividing element between the sedimentation area of the Saar-Nahe-depression and the variscan mountains. In the Lower-Rotliegendes the sedimentation then reaches beyond the fault and the Permian material is deposited discordantly on the folded Devonian.A tectonic activity is possible after the deposition of the Lebacher-resp. the Tholeyergroup. The main movements however happened within the Oberrotliegendes. Here the today identifiable longitudinal disturbances with all their phenomenas as grahen genesis, folding and intrusions are formed. The Saalische Phase with its discordance between Unter- and Oberrotliegendem is inapplicable, because the last one is concordantly following. Local discordances are explained by intrusion tectonics.The final shopping of the Nahe-Mulde might be a result of the Pfälzische Phase of the variscian orogenesis.The crossfaults were later than all the longitudinal elements.In some cases they have tertiary age. At this time also the upfaulting of the Devonian on the Rotliegendes in the part Argenschwang/Hochstetten took place. Up to our time recent movements are provable on the basis of earthquakes. Considering the dimension of this lineament one however has to be thougth of a plate boundary. However, it remains to further investigations to show this with security.

---

Résumé Le côte NW de la dépression de la Nahe est marquée par la »Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone«. Ce linéament s'étend du bord SE du Taunus, par la dépression de la Nahe et du Prims et le Saargebiet jusqu'en France, où il passe à la faille de Metz. Dans la région de ce travail, le rejet s'étend jusqu'aux grandes profondeurs et déplace encore la Moho.Pour le segment traité de la »Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone« entre Münster-Sarmsheim et Kirn an der Nahe il en résulte une structure en trois sections du NE au SW. Entre Münster-Sarmsheim et Argenschwang le Dévonien est refoulé sur le Permien. A partir de Allenfeld et dans la direction SW, le caractère de la zone dérangée change. Elle se scinde en deux ou bien trois failles longitudinales, par lesquelles se forme la structure décrite du bloc de la région.Dans les segments Argenschwang/Hochstetten et Hochstetten/Kirn, le bloc NW étudiée repose d'une façon discordante sur le terrain varistique avec un pendage de 20° SE maximum. Il est limité dans la direction du SE par la branche NW de la »Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone«. Dans le segment Argenschwang/Hochstetten se joint le massif affaissé. A l'intérieur de celui-ci, il y a, aussi bien des roches du »Unter«-que du »Oberrotliegendem«. Dans le segment Hochstetten/Kirn, la branche NW de la »Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone« sépare le bloc-NW du bloc central qui se montre relativement élevé. Au SE la faille marginale SE du graben ou bien de la faille SE du bloc central du segment Hochstetten/Kirn, suit une zone plissée. Cette zone est liée très étroitement à la branche-SE de la »Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone« et ne la sillit pas dans le NW. A la zone plissée et séparée par une faille, se joint un blov vers le SE, sur lequel les strates inclinent d'abord de 60°. Dans la direction de l'axe synclinal du Nahe-mulde, elles s'incurvent et prennent une faibel inclinaison. Le segment de Kirn est marqué de nombreuses magmatites qui sont en relation étroite avec la tectonique.Déjà structurée au carbonifêre, la »Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone« représente 1'élément séparant l'aire sedimentaire de la Saar-Nahe-Senke et le terrain varistique. Dans le »Unterrotliegendem« la sédimentation s'entend au delá de la faille et la Permien repose en discordance.Une véritable activité tectonique est possible après la sédimentation du groupe Lebacher ou du groupe Tholeyer. La phase principale est cependant dans le »Oberrotliegende«. Ici se forment les failles longitudinales, aujoud'hui reconniassables, avec tous leurs phénomènes, comme formation de fosses tectoniques, plis et instrusions. La »Saalische« phase avec sa discordance entre »Unter«- et »Oberrotliegendem« échappe, parce que ce dernier est déposé de façon concordante sur les roches de base. On peut ramener les discordances locales à la tectonique de l'intrusion. La formation définitive pourrait avoir lieu pendant la »Pfälzische Phase« de l'orogénèse varistique.Les failles transversales sont plus jeunes que tous les éléments longitudinaux. Elles sont en partie d'âge sou-tertiare. Le lévement du Dévonien sur le Permien dans le segment Argenschwang/Hochstetten s'est vraissemblablement produit à cette époque. Des mouvements récents se laissent démontrer jusqu'à nos jours au moyen des tremblements de terre. La réponse a la cause des mouvements reste spéculative. Cependant, en voyant la grandeur de ce linéament, on doit penser à une limite de plaque. Cette réalité nécessiterait toute fois d'autres recherches.

---

. - , . . - . , - . , , .- 20° -. - ë - . - . , , . - - - , . - , - - . - , , 60° -. . , ., . . . ', , . , , « » . . . - . . , .

     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in an anoxic sediment core from the Pettaquamscutt River (Rhode Island,U.S.A.)

Fifteen sections from an anoxic sediment core were analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Two types of PAH were observed: (a) those from combustion sources such as pyrene and chrysene and (b) those from natural sources such as retene and perylene. The combustion PAH levels in core sections dated between 1900 and 1970 were much higher than in earlier sections; this indicated an anthropogenic origin of these PAH at this location. The perylene and retene core profiles show significant anomalies during the period 1850–1880. Organic carbon does not fluctuate markedly but δC-13 of organic carbon shows several unexplained excursions; one of which correlates with the perylene and retene anomalies.     

Ore paragenesis of recent hydrothermal deposits at the Cocos-Nazca plate boundary (Galápagos Rift) at 85‡ 51' and 85‡ 55' W: Complex massive sulfide mineralizations,non-sulfidic mineralizations and mineralized basalts

Complex massive sulfide ores (»black smokers«) as well as mineralized basalts and unconsolidated sediments were sampled during the German research expedition »Garimas 1« in the eastern portions of the Galapagos Rift at 85 50' W longitude. The massive sulfide ores are characterized by a porous, layered, compositional texture with typical colloidal and/or gel textures. Local occurrences of organism remains (worm tubes), which are embedded in the ore, were also found. The composition of the massive sulfide ores exhibits a considerable range, from iron sulfide ores (pyrite, melnikovite-pyrite, marcasite) to copper-rich ores (chalcopyrite), and/or zinc-dominated ores (sphalerite, wurtzite, schalenblende). Additional new types of hydrothermal mineralizations were found, which consist primarily of manganese hydroxide, limonite or Fe-rich smectite (Fe-rich »protosmectite«) together with limonite and opaline silica. Hydrothermally altered basalts may be characterized by significant sulfide contents (primarily pyrite) and, locally, by hematite. Sediments in the vicinity of the »black smokers« frequently contain fragments of complex massive sulfide ores. With increasing distance from the »black smokers« these massive sulfide fragments exhibit complete replacement and pseudomorphism by limonite. Some replacement and pseudomorphism of microorganisms in unconsolidated sediments by limonitic material is also observed. In places, the unconsolidated sediments contain manganese hydroxide mineralizations of hydrothermal origin.

---

Zusammenfassung Anlä\lich der deutschen Forschungsfahrt »Garimas 1« wurden im östlichen Teil des Galápagos-Riftes bei 85 50' W vor allem komplexe massive Sulfiderze (»Schwarze Raucher« — »Black Smokers«) gewonnen, daneben au\erdem vererzte Basalte sowie unverf estigte Sedimente. Die massiven Sulfiderze sind durch einen porösen, lagig bis krustigschaligen Aufbau gekennzeichnet und weisen charakteristische Kolloidalgefüge bzw. Geltexturen auf. Stellenweise liegen Organismenreste (z. B. Wurmröhren), eingebettet in Erz, vor. Die Zusammensetzung der jeweiligen massiven Sulfiderze schwankt erheblich und reicht von praktisch nur aus Eisensulfid (Pyrit, Melnikovitpyrit, Markasit) beste-henden Bildungen bis zu solchen, die reich an Kupfersulfid (Kupferkies) und/oder Zinksulfid (Zinkblende, Wurtzit, Schalenblende) sind. Als weitere und neue Typen hydrothermaler Bildungen bzw. von »Schwarzen Rauchern« konnten hydrothermale Mineralisationen nachgewiesen werden, die vorherrschend entweder aus Manganhydroxid, aus Limonit oder aus eisenreichem Montmorillonit (Fe-reicher »Protosmektit«) mit Limonit und amorphem SiO₂ bestehen. Die alterierten Basalte können stellenweise durch eine reichliche Sulfidführung (vor allem Pyrit) ausgezeichnet sein, wobei gelegentlich auch Eisenglanz beibricht. Die Sedimente aus der Nachbarschaft der »Schwarzen Raucher« enthalten öfters zahlreiche Bruchstücke der komplexen Massivsulfiderze. Diese Sulfiderz-Bruchstücke lassen häufig mit zunehmender Entfernung von den »Schwarzen Rauchern« starke bis völlige Verdrängung und Pseudomorphosierung durch Limonit erkennen. Die in diesen Lockersedimenten vorliegenden rezenten Mikroorganismen zeigen stellenweise Verdrängung und Pseudomorphosierung durch Limonit. In den Lockersedimenten treten Ausscheidungen von Manganhydroxid hydrothermaler Herkunft auf.

---

Résumé Dans la partie est de la dorsale des Galapagos, par 85 50' de longitude ouest, l'expédition allemande »GARIMAS I« a récolté des minerais sulfurés complexes massifs (minerais de »fumeurs noirs«), ainsi que des basaltes minéralisés et des échantillons de sédiments meubles. Les sulfures massifs présentent un aspect poreux lité à écailleux et montrent des structures colloÏdales caractéristiques. Localement des traces d'organismes (p. ex. des trous de vers) sont inclues dans le minéral. Les sulfures massifs présentent diverses compositions depuis des formations constituées uniquement de sulfures de Fe (pyrite, pyrite »colloÏdale«, marcasite) jusqu'à d'autres qui sont riches en sulfures de cuivre (chalcopyrite) et/ou de zinc (blende, wurtzite, blende zonaire). De plus, d'autres minéralisations hydrothermales, nouvelles dans l'environnement des fumeurs noirs, ont été mises en évidence: elles sont constituées soit d'oxydes et hydroxydes de Mn, soit de limonite ou de montmorillonite riche en fer (»protosmectite« ferreuse) avec de la limonite et silice amorphe. Les basaltes hydrothermalisés peuvent montrer localement une teneur élevée en sulfure (surtout de la pyrite) éventuellement accompagné d'hématite. Les sédiments recueillis au voisinage des fumeurs noirs renferment souvent de nombreux fragments de sulfures complexes massifs. Au fur et à mesure qu'on s'éloigne des fumeurs, ces fragments sont progressivement et mÊme complètement pseudomorphosés en limonite. Cette pseudomorphose limonitique affecte également, par endroits, les micro-organismes récents inclus dans les sédiments meubles. Dans ces derniers ont lieu des formations d'hydroxydes de manganèse d'origine hydrothermale.

---

- Garimas I 8550 — = Black Smokers -, . , - , , . , .: , . , . . , , , = , / ( , , ). , . . , , , . , , - . , , , , . , .

     

Synthetic dumortierite: its PTX-dependent compositional variations in the system Al2O3-B2O3-SiO2-H2O

Dumortierite, generally simplified as Al₇BSi₃O₁₈, was synthesized in the pure system Al₂O₃–B₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O (ABSH) using gels with variable Al/Si ratios mixed with H₃BO₃ and H₂O in known proportions as starting materials. Synthesis conditions ranged from 3 to 5 and 15 to 20 kbar fluid pressure at 650° to 880°C. On the basis of analyses, synthetic dumortierite shows relatively narrow homogeneity ranges with regard to Al/Si which, however, vary as a function of pressure: at low pressures (3–5 kbar) Al/Si is 2.77–2.94 versus 2.33–2.55 at high pressures (15–20 kbar). Outside of these homogeneity limits, dumortierite was found to coexist with quartz or corundum, depending on the starting composition. Whereas synthetic dumortierite invaribly contains 1.0 boron atom per formula unit (p.f.u.) based on 18 oxygens, the water contents vary drastically as a function of pressure and temperature (1.32–2.30 wt.% H₂O or 0.85–1.47 H p.f.u.). H₂O is an essential component in dumortierite. Structural formulae based on complete chemical analyses of the dumortierites synthesized reveal that there is invariably an Si-deficiency against the ideal number of 3.0 p.f.u. In the calculation procedure used here, this deficiency is balanced by assuming tetrahedral Al. The remaining Al, taken to occupy the octahedral sites, is always below the ideal number of 7.0 p.f.u. Charge-balancing the structure with the hydrogen found analytically leads to two different mechanisms of H incorporation: (1) 3H⁺ + octahedral vacancy for Al^[6]; (2) H⁺ + tetrahedral Al for Si^[4]. Dumortierite synthesized at high fluid pressure contains little Al^[4] and, thus, little H⁺ of type 2; its hydrogen is predominantly present as type 1. Conversely, dumortierite formed at low fluid pressures is high in Al^[4] and hydrogen type 2. The amounts of hydrogen type 1 in low-pressure dumortierites decrease with rising temperatures of synthesis. Typical structural formulae are: (Al_6.670.33)[Al_0.49Si_2.51–O_13.53(OH)_1.47](BO₃) for a low-pressure product, and (Al_6.680.32)[Al_0.09Si_2.91O_13.94(OH)_1.06](BO₃) for a high-pressure product. Independently of the synthesis conditions, dumortierite was found always to be orthorhombic, with b₀/a₀ deviating slightly, but significantly from the valid for hexagonal lattice geometry. As a function of increasing Al/Si in the synthetic crystals, their a₀, c₀, and V₀ rise, whereas b₀ decreases. Thus b₀/a₀ decreases most sensitively with rising Al/Si and also with growing Al^[4]. More experimentation is required before the compositional variations of dumortierite found here can be applied successfully to geothermobarometry of natural rocks.